At Food Bank of South Jersey, Healthy Living Means Cooking Smart, Too

For more than a quarter-century, the Food Bank of South Jersey has worked to feed the hungry of South Jersey.

But most people don't know its secondary goal is to change their eating behaviors as well, said CEO Valerie Traore.

“After we provide them with food, we then want to make sure that they know how to eat healthy for sustained lives,” Traore said. 

As part of its Healthy Living Initiative, the Food Bank has hosted a series of cooking classes for South Jersey residents since 2009. 

From seniors with restrictive diets to teens learning healthy eating habits, the classes have managed to kick off some important conversations about food, Traore says. 

“We’re not trying to change the way you eat,” she said. “We’re just trying to give you a different perspective on how to take what you already have and show you how to make it stretch and make it healthy.”

Students learning cooking techniques from chefs and dieticians, and leave with the necessary ingredients to duplicate the meals at home. The classes emphasize portion size, nutrition, and are centered on locally available ingredients.

“What we try to do in the class is not introduce things to people that are inaccessible to them,” Traore said.

“Some of these gourmet cooking classes people take while they’re on vacation; that’s not what we do." she said. "We can take what is in your community and show you how to turn that into not only healthy but affordable cooking as well.”

Almost 6,000 people from Camden, Gloucester, and Salem Counties have attended classes since 2009, and there's “a pretty long waiting list” as well, Traore said. 

“It really has just touched the lives of so many people.”

Classes are $15 to $25; free to persons served by the Food Bank or its 250 partner agencies, food pantries, meal kitchens, and childcare centers throughout South Jersey.

For more information, call the Food Bank at 856-662-4884.